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Monday, July 20, 2015

Weekly kichi ni haichatta Mail

Here's
the rundown of the random things we did this week:

-Infiltrated
the U.S. Military base and had burgers for lunch (it was my second time on
American soil, the first being the MTC)

-Went
down south for companion exchanges in a place called Futenma. We had no luck
all day, no one listened or would give us time to share our message with them, until
the very last person who was a Christian with interest in the Book of Mormon.
Gave him a copy & made a return appointment which I of course won't be at,
but last door miracles!

-We
blew up a few hundred balloons for a Stake Primary activity which Tagawa Shimai
& Runa-chan from Ishigaki came to, I was so surprised to see them here that
I stumbled over my words and probably sounded like a first transfer missionary
unable to speak Japanese like I was when I was there a year and a half ago.

-Had
interviews & a mini-conference with the zone and our new Mission President
& his wife. They are super, super cool, way cooler than I was expecting,
and they brought so much Dendo Fire with them so we're all super pumped right
now.

-Played
basketball & volleyball with the youth during Young Men's where it was
Missionaries VS Nihonjin (Japanese people). I was on the Nihonjin team to make
the numbers even, and every time seeing the young men since then we have made
funny remarks about how much better us Nihonjin are than those
Missionaries.

-At
Church I'm starting to get to know people, still a little overwhelming at how
many members here are compared to my last 3 areas but people are remembering my
name, and if not that they're remembering me for the missionary from Tasmania.
From my experience in Japan you get celebrity points if you're white, but
everyone assumes you're American, so when you say you're Australian there are a
few gasps, but when you say Tasmania (which for some reason a whole lot of
Japanese people know) they just about faint. Maybe that's an exaggeration. But そんな感じ.

-Talking
to Americans, particularly off-base, is still frightening. Will keep you
updated on that.

My
testimony is growing and I'm having all these small experience, impressions,
feelings & seeing all these seemingly-insignificant-tender mercies that are
really shaping me and leading me somewhere in my personal growth. It's not
something I can explain but I know so strongly that our Father in Heaven is
there, He loves us & is mindful of everyone, and furthermore that He gives
us what we need to become more like His son, Jesus Christ. I see it every day,
and it's changing me.